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Dirt roads are common in the Mojave Desert and are a major cause of soil compaction. Photo by David Miller, USGS.

Soil compaction is one consequence of land use practices that involve trampling or off-road vehicular use. Compaction results in decreased rates of water infiltration and increased soil erosion rates. Reestablishment and growth of desert plants may also be adversely affected by compacted soils, both in terms of decreased water availability and the inability of roots to penetrate compacted layers.

The vulnerability of soil to compaction is related to its particle size distribution. Well-sorted soils (which consist of particles of relatively uniform size), such as sand dunes, do not compact significantly, while poorly-sorted soils (containing a wide range of particle sizes
), which typically occur in the desert on alluvial fans, are prone to high levels of compaction.

Soil moisture content is also important, and soils moistened by rainfall are more vulnerable to being compacted than dry soils. Once highly compacted, recovery is a function of wetting and drying cycles, freeze-thaw loosening, and bioturbation as roots and animals penetrate the denser soils.

Defining both vulnerability to and recoverability from soil compaction depends first on an understanding of geomorphic surfaces, including surficial particle size distribution. Definition of compaction recovery also requires knowledge of climatic processes such as rainfall timing and amounts, which are, int turn, strongly affected by elevation.

General Patton's tank track from more than 50 years ago are still apparent. Measurements under the tracks relative to adjacent soils show that the track soil is still compacted, which likely influences water infiltrations. While small rocks cover the soils in the track, large rocks cover the adjacent surfaces. The tracks still lack vegetation, including lichens. Photo by Jayne Belnap, USGS.